The Detroit News. October 13, 2016
Our choices for state education boards.
Michigan’s constitution calls for statewide elections of the independent boards governing the state’s three major universities and the State Board of Education. Members serve eight-year terms, so it’s important to choose these candidates wisely.
Unfortunately, many voters don’t pay attention to these races, and the boards are traditionally dominated by union-supported candidates, as the unions are willing to invest the resources to get them elected.
As we have recommended in the past, we think there should be more balance on these important boards. Currently, they are very lopsided, with roughly 75 percent of each board composed of Democrats. Having more political balance would better reflect the range of views in the state.
Every two years, two positions on each eight-member board open. The university boards govern finances and hire presidents, among other tasks. Members of the State Board oversee K-12 public education by making policy recommendations and appointing the state superintendent. As Michigan’s schools continue to fall behind their peers in other states, strong leadership is more vital than ever to guide state education in a better direction.
Our endorsements are as follows:
State Board of Education
The Democratic majority on the State Board of Education has been obsessed this year with passing its proposed guidelines for gay and transgender students. Led by President John Austin, the board finally passed them in September. This was a divisive and odd priority, given all the other pressing issues facing the state’s public schools.
Gov. Rick Snyder, frustrated with the board, has bypassed it as much as possible. Last year, he moved the School Reform Office out from under the Michigan Department of Education and the board, so that he could have direct oversight. A more balanced board would help.
To that end, we recommend Republicans Tom McMillin of Rochester Hills and Nikki Snyder of Whitmore Lake. McMillin is a former state representative and a strong proponent of school choice. Snyder is a lactation consultant and teaches at Washtenaw Community College. She is especially interested in helping children with disabilities.
Austin, a Democrat from Ann Arbor, wants a third term. Ish Ahmed of Novi, an adviser to the chancellor at the University of Michigan, Dearborn, is the other Democrat in the race. Longtime Democrat incumbent Kathleen Straus of Detroit is not seeing another term.
University of Michigan
Board of Regents
The two Republicans on the Board of Regents could use some company, and the GOP candidates running this year are worthy of joining them. Ron Weiser of Ann Arbor has run several times for this position, and he should get it this year. The real estate developer is the former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and former Republican National Committee finance chairman. Weiser, also the former U.S. ambassador to Slovakia, cares deeply about making the university a better place for students. Also on the GOP ticket is Carl Meyers of Dearborn, a senior vice president of investments at Raymond James in Dearborn.
The Democrats on the ballot are both incumbents. Laurence Deitch of Bloomfield Hills, a lawyer, is seeking a fourth term on the board. Denise Ilitch of Bingham Farms is running for her second term on the board. She is president of Ilitch Enterprises.
Michigan State University
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the only board to have three Republicans. But we think it could use a few more. The two Democratic incumbents - Dianne Byrum of Onondaga Township and Diann Woodard - are seeking second terms. They both bring strong backgrounds and experience, but our support goes to Republicans William Deary of Jackson and Dan Kelly of Clarkston.
Deary owns Great Lakes Caring Home Health and Hospice and Kelly is an attorney who serves on the Oakland Community College Board of Trustees. Both candidates want to limit tuition increases and prioritize enrollment for in-state students.
Wayne State University
Board of Governors
Two seats are open on the Board of Governors, with Democrats Gary Pollard and Paul Massaron not seeking re-election.
Republican Michael Busuito of Troy doesn’t give up easily. He is running for the third election in a row to get on this board and he gets our support. Busuito is a plastic surgeon and is on the Wayne State University Physician’s Group board. He appreciates the importance of the university’s health to the comeback of Detroit and is a fiscal conservative.
GOP candidate Kim Shmina of Ira is a nurse practitioner and former Wayne State nursing instructor. She wants to make the budget a priority as well as student retention. We think she’d do a good job on the board.
Democrats Yvette McElroy of Detroit and Mark Gaffney of Detroit are also running. Gaffney is the former president of the Michigan AFL-CIO.
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Port Huron Times Herald. October 14, 2016
We must protect our babies from our guns.
According to research by the USA Today Network and the Associated Press in a series of stories published Friday, close to 200 children nationwide were killed in accidental shootings in the first six months of 2016.
Gun industry lobbyists have their talking points to explain away most of them. But no spokesman, no matter how cold-hearted can explain away this one: Since the beginning of 2014, more than 80 toddlers across the United States accidentally and fatally shot themselves.
There can be no Second Amendment argument, no self-defense explanation, no safety education statistic that can explain away babies shooting themselves.
We love our guns. Do we love them more than our children?
We can have both. We can keep our children safe by keeping our firearms secure. Boy Scouts are taught that neither safeties nor good intentions make a firearm safe. Only rigid, unfailing, practiced procedures and behaviors make a firearm safe. And the first one of those must be keeping firearms out of the hands of those who don’t and can’t comprehend the life-ending cataclysm packed into a rifle or pistol cartridge.
Michigan must follow the lead of the half-dozen other states that hold firearm owners criminally liable when their guns fall into the hands of children. Child access prevention laws allow prosecutors to charge adults when children harm themselves or others with grownups’ guns.
Researchers say Florida’s access law has made that state safer for children. Pollsters say more than two thirds of Americans favor laws that hold adults criminally liable for not locking their firearms away from children.
Such laws have been proposed in Lansing. A pair of bills introduced in December 2015 - not the first ones - languished in committee while those 200 children died in accidental shootings in the first six months of 2016.
Don’t expect roll-call votes on Senate Bill 0666 and House Bill 5195 any time soon. The opposition from the NRA and its allies is too well organized and too lucrative.
Expect action, though, on a bill introduced last month by Lee Chatfield, a Republican from Cheboygan County. His bill would prohibit government employees from asking children if their parents leave guns unsecured. That’s why the NRA gives Chatfield an A-plus rating.
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Lansing State Journal. October 12, 2016
LSJ Editorial board makes picks for sheriffs, Wriggelsworth and Reich must restore trust.
At a time when law enforcement is under greater scrutiny nationwide, it’s imperative Greater Lansing has sheriffs it can trust. And in Eaton County in particular, the issue of trust is one that has shaped the election conversation.
Despite criticism of current Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich and his handling of the Deven Guilford case, the LSJ Editorial Board endorses Reich for a second term. Challenger Fred McPhail’s campaign is more about how Reich is wrong than McPhail is right. That’s not enough.
Reich disputes the critics who allege a broad misuse of force by his deputies. He says litigation against the department is far less than previous years. Reich can’t dismiss the trust issue, however. The death of a teenager with no prior record during a routine traffic stop has splintered a community. He and his deputies must address the us vs. them perceptions. He’s pledged to work with Eaton County school districts and the community to build collaborative relationships.
Voters should not let Reich’s personal life - he’s going through a divorce - be a distraction. Although his estranged wife sought a protection order, an out-of-county judge rejected her request. Instead, the pair negotiated a mutual agreement to proceed in what her attorney called “a more peaceful way.”
Reich’s leadership has led to Eaton County being among the first to equip patrol cars with Narcan, a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. He requires deputies to take mental health and crisis intervention training, is in favor of body cameras and committed to improving transparency.
Reich convinced the LSJ Editorial Board he is serious about turning public perception around. He should be given that chance.
Ingham County will have its first new sheriff since Gene Wriggelsworth was first elected in 1988. The question in this race isn’t about experience: It’s about which candidate can take the sheriff’s department in new directions.
For that reason, the LSJ Editorial Board endorses Scott Wriggelsworth for Ingham County sheriff. Being the son of the current sheriff may give voters pause; don’t let it. His record speaks for itself.
Scott Wriggelsworth has served more than 20 years with the East Lansing Police Department, including his current post as administration lieutenant and public information officer. He was integral in launching a Behavior Assessment Unit this year that assigns officers to specific individuals who are repeatedly interacting with police but are known to have mental health issues.
He has broad experience - from road patrol to detective bureau and working collaboratively with other agencies to media relations and marketing. Among his priorities are building trust with the community, constant training to work smarter and respecting the past without being locked in by tradition.
Eric Trojanowicz is a worthy opponent. He’s a 25-year veteran of the sheriff’s department who retired this year. He knows the department, which could help ensure a smooth transition.
Yet Wriggelsworth has the greater promise. He acknowledged the current sheriff has a tendency to say, “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Instead of carrying on the legacy, he pledges to bring more out-of-the-box ideas and tactics to the department - a behavioral assessment unit to be among his first acts.
Wriggelsworth describes himself as a leader who lets people try new things and find their own solutions. That will be crucial as budget constraints squeeze operations and the need for a new jail is imminent. His collaboration and vision will benefit Ingham County.
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The Holland Sentinel. October 14, 2016
Quick hits: Four thoughts on this week’s news.
1. Lightening the burden
As Caleb Whitmer reported Tuesday, a teenager being charged for spray painting the Holland State Park’s north pier during a vigil service sparked a community-wide conversation about what kind of penalty the boy should face. The 15-year-old was part of a group grieving the loss of two teenagers, including 17-year-old Christopher Mimis and 14-year-old Vincent Green, who drowned in the Lake Michigan waters near the pier on Aug. 31. Deputies patrolling the area identified the Chicagoan responsible for much of the spray painting and he now faces misdemeanor charges for malicious destruction of property, which is punishable by up to a year in prison. Dr. Mike Jansen, a pediatric psychologist with Holland Hospital said, “Perhaps something more long-term, something more lasting, would mean something more to them and the community as a whole. One that the community is much more eager to accept than graffiti on a lighthouse.” And we agree. Instead of spray painting the pier, family and friends of the two lost teenagers should come together with park officials on how they could better honor their lost loved ones. Grief is always difficult, but it doesn’t excuse one from breaking the law and acting irrationally.
2. Changing colors
As Caleb Whitmer reported Wednesday, peak fall colors are rapidly approaching in West Michigan, and we couldn’t be more excited! While green is still dominating the landscape, autumn lovers will be happy to know local trees are expected to fully turn over in the next week or two. We’re already seeing a lot of yellows in downtown Holland as nature begins to paint the most beautiful portrait of the year. The warm and wet weather of the past few months, combined with the expectation of generally mild weather in the next week, should mean a vibrant climax to autumn color. Local arborist Josh Watkin suggested monitoring neighborhood oak and maple trees. “When they look to be at their top form, that’s when it is time to take a hike out into the woods.” Noted.
3. Road work wrapping up
It was so nice to see Ninth Street finally open up this past week as construction crews put the finishing touches on the project and paint lines over the newly paved surface. And detail work of the U.S. 31 reconstruction project is coming to a close. What a joy it will be when the day arrives we can drive up and down unimpeded on two of the busiest thoroughfares in the Holland area. It’s been a long construction season and getting stuck in traffic on 120th Avenue has long worn itself out on the community. However, just when us folks at The Sentinel thought the traffic storm was about to pass, lo and behold, construction crews dug a massive hole into Eighth Street right in front of our building. Thanks guys! No really. We love finding new and adventurous ways to get to work. Nothing brings us more joy. Sarcasm aside, it will be nice to see how the redevelopment of this block goes and we’ll have a bird’s-eye view to update readers on all the latest. We hope everyone else begins to enjoy their commute a little bit now that the orange barrels are being removed.
4. 24 days
Weekly reminder: There are 24 days until what comedian John Oliver describes as “A horrifying glimpse at Satan’s Pinterest board 2016,” culminates. This past week was particularly, interesting. After lewd comments surfaced from 2015 made by the Republican nominee, many GOP leaders have renounced any support for their candidate. Even here in West Michigan where U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, said, “It’s just very frustrating that he would put himself in this position. It doesn’t make it any more right that it was 11 years ago.” Huizenga, while publicly expressing doubt about Donald Trump’s candidacy throughout this campaign, said he will continue to support and vote for whoever the nominee is. For Huizenga it boils down to the next president’s ability to nominate justices to the Supreme Court. Huizenga’s House of Representatives colleague, Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, was a little more blunt in his assessment of Trump’s comments. “These degrading and dangerous comments are utterly indefensible. As a husband and father, I feel angry and sickened.” Upton has refused to endorse Trump at any point in this campaign. Hang tight, America. There’s just 24 more days to go.
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